Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 70061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“Good lord,” Jenna moans, covering her belly. “Give me thirty minutes to get this food baby to settle.”
“Same,” Max says. “And then bring it on.”
The rest of the evening is full of laughter, ping pong, and food. Stolen kisses. Conversation.
I notice both of Brad’s parents watching us closely, but kindly, throughout the hours that follow. It’s a relief to know that his mother likes me. I mean, we’re grown adults, but having their approval means a lot.
Suddenly, just before ten, Brad’s radio goes off.
“They’re going to start the light show,” Brad says.
“Let’s go up to the deck,” Grace says with excitement. We follow her up and all lean against the railing.
Brad walks up behind me and wraps his arms around me, caging me against the railing. Just as the first fireworks burst into the sky, he lays his lips against my ear.
“Thank you,” he murmurs as the others ooh and aah over the lights in the sky.
“For what?”
“This. All of this.”
He kisses my cheek, and then we’re silent, watching the sky light up, surrounded by those closest to us.
It’s been the best day that I’ve had in a very long time.
Maybe ever.
***
“The boss man wants a word,” my nurse, Melissa, says. She’s poked her head around the doorjamb of my office. We had a long one today, and it’s only late morning.
“You look tired.”
“I am,” she says with a shrug. “I hate it when the fourth falls on a week day.”
“I know.” I smile, feeling the effects from being up late last night myself. “Thankfully our patient load is light today.”
She nods and offers me a grin. “You have a patient in room four, and then you’re done until after lunch.”
“Cool.” I grab my stethoscope and my computer. “I’ll go talk to Jim and then see my patient. This shouldn’t take long.”
She nods and I walk to Jim’s office. He calls me inside.
“Hi there,” I say and sit in the chair in front of his desk.
“Good morning,” he replies with a kind smile. Jim has been an OB/GYN in Cunningham Falls for forty years. He’s no longer delivering babies, but he’s still the head doctor in this practice, and I respect him immensely. I’ve learned so much from him since I came on. “Hannah, we need to talk.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve decided that it’s time for you to stop taking call 24/7.”
I sit quietly, blinking at him, sure I’ve heard him wrong.
“Did you hear me?”
“I don’t think so.”
He repeats himself, and I frown. “I don’t understand. Have I done something wrong?”
“Not yet,” he says and takes his glasses off, rubbing his eyes. “But you work too much, Hannah. There will be no more taking call on your nights off.”
“My patients hire me to be there when their babies are born, Jim. It’s important to them that I follow through with their care from beginning to end.”
“I get it,” he says, raising his hands in surrender. “I know what you’re saying. But Hannah, we have five perfectly capable doctors in this clinic who can all deliver babies. It’s too much for you to work twenty-four, sometimes forty-eight hours in a row, and then show up here to take appointments as well. You’ll burn yourself out before you’re forty, and I won’t allow that.”
“I didn’t realize that being dedicated to my job was punishable,” I reply, feeling my whole body tighten defensively.
“I’m not punishing you, Hannah.” He sighs and watches me for a moment. “You’re a wonderful doctor, and having you on staff has only strengthened this clinic. I value your education and your knowledge. But you put in too many hours. One day, it won’t be safe. You’ll miss a step out of pure exhaustion, and I have to think about the welfare of you and our patients. I’m not telling you that you can’t work. I’m telling you that you can’t work on your days off.”
“Which is kind of the same thing,” I reply. “I love this job. This is who I am.”
“No. This is what you do.” He smiles kindly and leans back in his chair. “In fact, I’ve been looking back over your schedule, and it’s come to my attention that you haven’t taken vacation time in two years.”
“I was going to last summer, but Dr. Preston had her car accident and I had to fill in for her.”
“I remember.” He nods. “And it was appreciated. I want you to make up for it this year.”
“Okay.”
“Today.”
“Excuse me?”
“Beginning today, I want you to take that week’s vacation, paid. In addition to the other vacation time you have coming this year.”
I frown. “Jim, I have two patients ready to have babies in the next few weeks.”
“And if they go into labor, there are doctors here to do that, Hannah.”
“So, I have to take a week off of work.”
He laughs. “No, you get to take a week. Starting now.”